Concrete form and structure



April 15, 1930. F. J. MEAD CONCRETE FORM AND STRUCTURE Filed May 26, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 U INVENTOR. W}, M

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F. J. MEAD CONCRETE FORM AND STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 26. 1926 A TTORNEYS.

April 15,1930.

IIII IIIIIIUvIII Patented Apr. 15, 1930 UNFTED ii NT OFFHCE CONCRETE FORM AND STRUCTURE Application filed. May 536, 1926. Serial No. 111,724.

This invention relates to concrete forms and structures, especiallyadapted for making walls and the like, which can be very readily constructed and which can be enlarged at Will, without destroying the parts already erected. By this invention, greenhouse beds, walls, fences, etc., of different sizes can be made of concrete, without requiring an inordinate amount of equipment.

The forms that are used in making the different devices can be removed and reused for making others, or for enlarging those already made.

My invention will be understood from the description in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a greenhouse bed made in accordance with this invention; Fig. 2 is a horizontal section showing the forms in place; Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the forms, partly broken away; Fig. 4 is a section along the line 44 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a section along the line 55 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the forms; Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a modification; Fig. 8 is a perspective view showing a detail; Fig. 9 is a horizontal section similar to Fig. 2 showing a modification; Fig. 10 is a horizontal section showing a modification of the reinforcing meansfor the'concrete; Fig. 11 is a side view showing another modification and Fig. 12 is a section along the line 12-12 of Fig. 11.

In the drawings, reference character 10 indioates posts that may be made at any convenient location and set in place in the ground or in concrete at suitable distances apart, or these posts 10 may be made in situ by pouring concrete into forms adapted for that purpose. Theposts 10 are made with the inside and outside faces thereof flat and parallel to each other, and the other faces are provided with longitudinal grooves 11 that have converging sides and extend from the top of the posts and terminate at the level of the ground when the posts are in place.

A plurality of rods 12 (Figs. 2, t and 5) extend between the posts in vertical planes, and their ends project into holes in the grooves 11 that are provided therefor. Flat plates 13, most clearly shown in Fig. 6, are placed between the posts 10 and are spaced apart distances corresponding to the desired thickness of the concrete slabs that are to be located between the posts. The plates 13 are provided along their upper edges with outwardl extending flanges 1 1, and along their lower edges with inwardly extending flanges 15. Cover plates 16 may be laid on the flanges l5, and these plates may be as wide as the space between the plates 13. Spacing members 17 as wide as the desired space between the plates 13 are provided with longitudinal slits 18 to enable thesespacing members to pass over the reinforcing rods 12 as the members are inserted into place between the plates 13. The members are provided with laterally extending stops or lugs 19 that are adapted to rest upon the flange 1 1 of the plates 13, and holes 20 are provided in the upper ends of the members to enable the members to be removed by inserting a hook into the holes.

U-shaped clamps 21 may be provided for pressing the plates 13 toward each other and holding the same in position with the members 17 between the plates. The clamps 21 are provided with thumb screws 22 to enable the same to be tightened against the plates. If desired, pressure plates 23 (Fig. 2) may be inserted between the lower ends of the clamps 21 and the sides of the plates 13.

In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the lower flange 16 of one of the plates 13' is made wide enough to extend a short distance beyond the outside of the other plate which is provided at its lower end with a narrower outwardly extending flange 15, whose outer edge is flush with the edge of the flange 16' when the plates 13 are spaced the proper distance apart. In order to keep the plates 13 properly spaced, the flanges 15 and 16' are provided with holes into which pins 24 may be inserted, thus preventing the plates from spreading at the bottom when the concrete is poured in.

Auxiliary plates 25 (Figs. 2 and 6) are provided to be placed against the inner and outer faces of the posts 10 to aid in keeping the plates 13in place. The plates 25 are provided with inwardly extending flanges 26 at their upper ends, with inwardly extending flanges 27 along their sides and with flanges 28 at right-angles to the flanges 27, thus enabling the plates 25 to be placed upon the sides of the posts 10, with the flanges 26 resting on tops of the posts, and with the flanges 28 extending longitudinally of the space between the posts, and with the flanges 1d of the plates 13 resting upon the upper ends of the flanges 28, while the plates 13 themselves are in contact with the sides of the flanges 28. Clamps 21, similar to the clamps 21, are provided for retaining the plates 25 in place against the sides of the posts 10. The depth of the flanges 27 is preferably made such that the plates 13 will be flush with the edges of the grooves 11, thus making the thickness of the concrete slabs between the posts 10 con siderably less than the thickness of the posts themselves.

Instead of holding the plates 13 with clamps 21 to prevent them from spreading, as above described, these plates may be provided with holes through which wire, for example, may be passed as shown at 29, the ends of the wire being twisted together to exert tension thereon. The wires may be clipped after the concrete has set, in order to remove the plates. The use of the wires to hold the plates in position is especially desirable with wide plates that would require the employment of clamps with long shanks to hold them.

In the modification shown in Fig. 8, the upper flange 14 of the plate 13 is provided with notches 30 at intervals, to accommodate stakes or posts for retaining the plates 13 in position.

In the modification shown in Fig. 9, the posts 10 are made with triangularly-shaped notches or grooves 11 that extend from the inside faces of the posts, partially across the edges of the same. In this modification, the plates 25 are similar to that already described, but the plates 25 on the inside of the posts have bent portions 27, instead of flanges 27, suflicient to extend around the plates 13, thus enabling the inside surfaces of the concrete that is poured in between the plates 13 to be flush with the inside faces of the posts 10, while the outside surfaces of the posts 10 extend beyond the outside surfaces of the concrete slabs between the posts.

In the modification shown in Fig. 10, the means for reinforcing the concrete is shown as twisted wires 12 which extend through holes that pass entirely through the posts 10, instead of being rods whose ends project into holes in the posts.

Instead of havin a single slab extending between each pair 0 posts, a plurality of slabs spaced apart in vertical planes may be installed to make a fence. In the modification shown in Figs. 11 and 12, two such slabs 33 are shown, althou h a larger number may be made in a simi ar manner. In this modification, the flanges 28 of the auxiliary plates 25 are interrupted or cut away at the height desired for the width of the lower slab 33, and the flanges 1d of the sides or plates 13 project through these spaces and rest upon the portions of the flanges 28 below he cut-away portion. The width of the upper plates 13 is less than the distance between the cut-away portion 32, and the upper end of the flange 28, so that a space is left between the slabs 33.

From the preceding description, it will be understood that the posts 10 are put in place with the reinforcing rods 12 therebetween, the plates 13 and 25 are clamped in place with the cover plates 16 resting on the flanges 15, and with the spacing members 17 between the plates 13, and concrete is poured into the space between the plates 13 and the members 17 removed. When the concrete hardens, the forms may be removed and used between other posts.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, posts having grooves facing each other, and spaced plates extending between the posts on each side of said grooves, said plates having inwardly directed flanges at the bottom thereof.

2. In a device of the character described, posts having grooves facing each other, spaced plates extending between the posts on each side of said grooves, said plates having inwardly directed flanges at the bottom thereof, and outwardly directed flanges at the top thereof.

3. In a device of the character described, posts having grooves facing each other, spaced plates extending between the posts on each side said grooves, and auxiliary plates extending across the inside and the outside of said p t In a device of the character described, posts having grooves facing each other, spaced plates extending between the posts on each side of said grooves, and means for closing the lower end of the space between the plates.

FRED J. MEAD. 

